Refrigerated display case



1953 v. c. KNIGHT REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Filed June 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 no u v Lu aw U i M 5 Z Nov. 3, 1953 v. c. KNIGHT 2,657,545

REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Filed June 13, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3, 1953 REFRIGERATED nis'PLAY cAsr.

Verne Knight, Michigan City, Ind., assignor to Bctz Corporation, Hammond, Ind'., a corp0-- ration of Indiana Application June 13, 1950; Serial No. 167,833

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to refrigerated display cases and particularly to such cases having" an open display compartment and a closed storage compartment with a. single refrigerating unit for circulating refrigerated air over both compartments.

Open top refrigerated display cases are in common use in many applications such as in grocery, fruit and meat stores of the self-service type. These dis'playcases are used to display goods attractively and in positions to be easily accessible to shoppers. It is desirable that such cases also include a closed storage compartment for additional goods which can be used to fill up the display bins by the salespersons. The storage compartment must also be kept cool so that the goods stored therein will remain in good condition. The open display compartment is, of course, greatly affected by the temperature of the room in which the display case is placed and the temperature and amount of air required to cool this compartment will vary in accordance with the surroundingtemperature. It. is therefore necessary to include provisions for selectively controlling the circulation of re-v frigerated air over the open display compart- 7 a; refrigerated case having an open displaycompartment and a closed storage compartment in;-

v In practicing the invention there is "provided a:

which the circulation of --air thro ugh the ;two

compartments can be'controlled to provide the v 'properftemperature andfhumidityin'each com W partment.

A still further object of this invention .isto provide-an improved refrigerated open display case in which refrigerated air is selectivelycirf culated uniformly over'thef display compare ment and through the goods provided in the dis-- play compartment. x A feature of this invention'is the provision of a j refrigerated "case having an open display compartment and a'cl'osed storagecompartni'ent, separated" by horizontal" partition" wall; with. the refrigerating unit supported in the storage compartment on the underside of the partition wall and circulating refrigerated air through both compartments. By this arrangement a substantial amount of usable space is not taken up by the refrigerating unit and doors may be provided for the storage compartment on either or both sides of the ease.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a refrigerated case having display and storage compartments and a, refrigerating unit for circulating cooled air through the two compartments, with the paths for air through the two compartments being substantially independent of each other. The refrigerating unit may include adjustable air outlet means for selectively dividing the refrigerated, air between the two compartments to provide the temperatures required in each. m

Still another feature of this invention is the provision of. an open display case having a passage for refrigerated air with perforated baffles in. the passage forming a plurality of interconnected plenum chambers which distribute the refrigerated air substantially uniformly along the case and direct the air substantially uniformly over the goods in the case. Openings may be provided in the cold air passage to pro vide circulation of refrigerated air through the goods in the display compartment. 7

Further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from a considerationof the,-fol1oW-; ing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view partly broken away illustrating the. refrigerated display-case in ac-" cordance with the invention; TI a Fig. 2 is across sectional view alongthe lines 2-2 of Fig. 3; and, V Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view-along thel i-ne, 3-3 ofFig.2. I

refrigerated 'case including anupper opene-topj display. compartment. and a lower closed storage compartment. A refrigerating unit'isproincludes perfo'rated baffles separatingfthe pas-Q sage into a plurality of interconnected plenum chambers which distribute the air substantially. uniformly andfreduce the velocity thereoffl Onf the front wall in the upper display compar't' ment is an exhaust passage which communicates with the lower storage compartment. The refrigerating unit includes an intake portion opening in the lower compartment adjacent the exhaust passage from the upper compartment. The refrigerating unit also includes an outlet portion for applying refrigerated air to the cold air duct means and also to the lower compartment. An adjustable baffle is provided for selectively controlling the distribution of air to the upper and lower compartments. Openings may be provided in the coid air duct below the support for articles therein for providing circulation of refrigerated air through the articles. The refrigerating unit is positioned in the lower compartment so that a minimum of useful space is taken up thereby and so that access may be had to the storage compartment from both front and back of the case. I Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the display case includes a back wall It, side walls VH and I2 and a front wall [3. The front wall includes a lower opaque portion is and an upper transparent portion l5 which makes it easier for a shopper to see the items in the upper display compartment. The transparent portion l5 may be composed of a pair of spaced transparent platesit so that good thermal insulation is provided thereby. The walls III, II, [2 and M and the base il of the case also include insulating material. An upper display compartment 26 and a lower storage compartment 2| are provided and are separated by the partition 22. a

Supported on the partition wall .22 withinthe storage compartment 2| is a refrigerating unit 23 including coils 24 through which a refrigerant is circulated and fans 25 driven by motors 53 for circulating air over the coils 2h The fans are positioned in the inlet portion of the unit adjacent an opening communicating with the lower storage compartment. The refrigerating unit includes an outlet portion having an opening 21 through which refrigerated air is applied to the storage compartment. Doors 23 and Z?) are provided on the front and back walls of the storage compartment 2| for providing access thereto. The position of the refrigerating unitin the storage compartment, and the configuration thereof are such that a minimum of useful space in the st orage compartment is taken up thereby and so that doors can be positioned on the front and/or the back walls to permit easy-access to the storage compartment.

For supplying refrigerated air from the refrigerating unit to the upper display compar ment 2!], there is provided a duct system including the plate members and 3! and the per-' throughout the entire width of the'display case.

Air from the passage '35 is provided through the perforated baffle 32 tola second passage formed. by the rear wall of the case It] and the member upwardly.

3!. The refrigerated, air passes through the passage 36 and through the perforated member 33 into chamber 3? formed under the insulated shelf 38., The air' from the chamber 31 is then directed through perforated member 34 downwardly and across the open dis play compartment 20. The passages 35 and 35 and the chamber 3*! all form plenum or equalizing chambers which tend to distribute the air therein uniformly and to somewhat decrease the velocity of the air passing therethrough. This results in a uniform steady stream of air from the outlet member 34 across the open display compartment.

Along the front wall of the case 53 there is provided an exhaust or return passage 39 for the air which is formed between the plate 40 and the front wall l3. This passage extends to the lower or storage chamber and discharges the air therein adjacent the inlet portion of the refrigerating unit so that this air is drawn by the fan through the unit. The top M of the transparent wall portion [5 may be inclined in the direction to extend over the passage 39 so that the suction created in the passage does not draw in a substantial amount of air from outside the case. This top H is at a level somewhat above that of the perforated member 3 3 through which air is introduced into the display compartment so that most of the refrigerated air introduced into the display compartment is drawn into the exhaust passage and a circulating path is provided which prevents escape of a substantial amount of air andwhich also does. not draw in a large amount of air from outside the case.

To selectively controlthe amount of refrigerated air applied to the two compartments, a bafiie member 42 is provided which is supported on pivots t3 adjacent the member 36 and which may be adjustably positioned at the end 46 adjacent the refrigerating, coils 24 so that the amount of air directed through the passage 35 to the display compartment, and directly to the lower compartment 2! may beselectively controlled by the position of the end M of the baffle member 52. It is to be noted that two separate paths for refrigerated air are provided, one from the refrigerating unit through the opening 21' into the lower compartment and from the lower com partment to the opening 'ZEi'at the inlet portion of the refrigerating unit 23. The second path for refrigerated air extends through passages 35, 36 and chamber 3? to the upper display compartment and through the exhaust passageitfl to the l'ower'compartment adjacent the inlet opening 26 of the refrigerating unit. It isapparent from this that the two paths are substantially entirely separate from" eachother and therefore the refrigeration action provided in the two chambers can be separately controlled. I

f It may be desirable in some cases to provide a small amount of refrigerated air through the goods in the open display compartment. This is particularly true when the case is quite deep, that is, when the distance between the back wall It and the 7 front wall is is relatively great. In such case a screen or other perforated support member 51) maybe provided in the displaycompartment on. which the goods displayed are placed. Openings 5i may be provided in the member 3] below the support membertfl through which air is introduced to the passage between forated support member and goods thereon. It

may also be desirable in such case to provide openings 52 in thewall ifl d efining the exhaust passage39 so that. airmay be drawn from the display compartment through the openings 52 7 into the exhaust passage 39. A slide or shutter tively closing the openings -1 so that the amount of air provided. over this path may thereby be controlled.

For satisfactory operation of the display case, the upper display compartment should be held atthe required low temperature with a minimum flow of cool air and with the air being at a temperature not substantially below the temperature required in'the'display compartment. This is because the circulation of a large amount of very cold air would require a relatively large refrigerating unit, and the large volume of air would tend to dehydrate the articles in the display case and carry the moisture therefrom to the refrigeration coils thus causing an increase in the icing of the coils. In the construction shown, the amount of air circulated may be held to a minimum because only a small amount of cold air escapes from the display compartment, and the entry of warm air :trom outside the case is also held down. This is facilitated by the uniform flow'of air produced'bythe plenum or equalizing chambers in the cold air duct. These equalizing chambers also permit the use of a refrigerating unit which extends over only a portion of the width of the case with the flow of air being distributed relatively uniformly over the entire width of the, case;

The particular position of the refrigerating unit with respect to the two compartments of the display case results in efficient air circulating paths through these two compartments and satisfactory control of the cooling in the two compartments The'rcfr-igerating unit has a relatively small vertical dimension and is positioned in the topv portion or the storage compartment to take up a minimum amount of useful space in the storage compartment so that access may be provided to the. storage compartment from both the front and back of the display case.

The embodimentof the invention described is illustrative of thei'inven'tionbut it is obvious that variousv changes and. modifications can be madetherein without departing from the intended scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim: I

l. A refrigerated displaycase having an upper opcn-top compartment and a lower enclosed compartment, vertical walls forming said compartments and-a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating unit disposed in said lower compartment adjacent said partition, said refrigerating unit having a relatively'small vertical dimension so that it extends only in the upper portion of said. lower compartment, duct means defining a cold air passage extending} in said upper compartmerit adjacent oneofj said vertical walls and communicating with said'refrigerating unit, duct means defining exhaustair'passage in said upper compartment" adiacentqthe verticalll wall opposite to said one wall, and; communicating and:lower compartments.

2;A refl'igeratedidisplay-case having'a openetoprcompartment and? a'-lower enclosed with said lower compartment'said refrigerating compartment, vertical walls forming" said coinpartments and a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating unit disposed in the upper portion of said lower compartment and supported by said partition on the under side thereof, duct means defining a cold air passage extending in said upper compartment adjacent one of said vertical walls and communicating with said refrigerating unit, duct means defining an exhaust passage in said upper compartment adjacent the vertical wall opposite to said one wall and communicating with said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit having intake and discharge portions and means for circulating air therethrough, said intake portion communicating with said lower compartment adjacent said exhaust air passage, said discharge portion communicating with said cold air assage and said lower compartment, whereby substantially separate paths for refrigerated air are provided through said upper and lower compartments.

3. A refrigerated display case having an upper open-top compartment and a lower enclosed compartment, vertical walls forming saidcompartments and a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating unit disposed in the upper portion of said lower compartment adjacent said partition, duct means defining a cold' air passage extending in said upper compartment adjacent one of said vertical walls and communicating with said refrigerating unit, duct means defining an exhaust air passage in said uppercompartment adjacent the vertical "wall opposite to said one wall and communicating with said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit having intake and discharge portions and meansfor circulating air therethrough, said intake portion communicating with said lower compartment adjacent said exhaust air passage, said discharge portion communicating with said coldair passage and said lower compartment and. including adjustable means for controlling the portions of the cooled air applied to said cold air passage and to said lower compartment. r

4. A refrigerated display case having an upper open compartment'and a lower enclosed compartment, vertical walls forming said compartments and a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating unit disposed in the upper portion of said lower compartment adjacent said partition, duct means defining a cold airpassage extending in said upper compartment adjacent one of said vertical walls and communic ating with said re frigerating unit, said duct means including baffle means providing aplurality ofplenum chambers and having apertures for directing refrigerated airacross'said. upper compartment, duct meansdefining an exhaust air Jpassage'in said upper compartment adjacentv the vertical wallopposita to said one wall and communicating with-said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit hav-- ing an intake portion communicating with said lower compartment and a discharge portion communicating with both saidcold air passage and said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit including meansjfor drawing air into said. a

intake portion and .for'discharging the same from said discharge portion, said. exhaust. air

passageropening into' said lower compartment adjacent said intake portionof said refrigerating unit, whereby substantially separate paths for refrigeratedair areprovidedjjthrough saidupper andlowe'rfcompartments". F

5. A'r'efrigerated display case having an upper open display compartment and a lower enclosed storage compartment, front, rear and side walls forming said compartments and a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating unit disposed in the upper portion of said lower compartment adjacent said partition, duct means defining a cold air passage extending in said upper compartment adjacent said rear wall and communicating with said refrigerating unit, said duct means including baffle means providing a. plurality of plenum chambers and having apertures for directing refrigerated air across said upper compartment, duct means defining an exhaust air passage in said upper compartment adjacent said front wall and communicating with said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit having an intake portion communicating with said lower compartment and a discharge portion communicating with both said cold air passage and said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit including means: for drawing air into said intake portion and for discharging the same from said discharge portion, said exhaust air passage opening into said lower compartment adjacent said intake portion of said refrigerating unit, whereby substantially separate paths for refrigerated air are provided through said upper and lower compartments.

6. A refrigerated display case having an upper open display compartment and a lower enclosed storage compartment, front, rear and side walls forming said compartments and a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating unit disposed in the upper portion of said lower compartment adjacent said partition, duct means defining a cold air passage extending in said upper compartment adjacent saidrear' wall and communicat- 'ing with said-refrigerating unit, said duct means including baffle means providing a plurality of plenum chambers and having apertures for directing refrigerated air across said upper compartment, duct .means defining an exhaust air passage in said upper compartment adjacent said front wall and communicating withsaid lower compartment, said refrigerating unit having an intake portion communicating with said lower compartment and a discharge portion communieating with both said cold air passage and said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit ineluding means for drawing air into said intake portion and for discharging the same from said discharge portion, said exhaust air passage opening into said lower compartment adjacent said intake portion of said refrigerating unit, whereby substantially separate paths for'refrigerated air are provided through said upper and lower compartments, said discharge ortion of said refrigerating unitincluding an adjustable baiile for dividing the cooled air therefrom between said cold air passage and said lower compartment.

'7, A refrigerated case having an upper opene top display compartment and a lower closed compartment with a horizontal partition separating said compartments, a refrigerating unit having a relatively small vertical dimension dis- ;posed in said lower compartment adjacent said partition and extending only in theupper portion of said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit including intake. and discharge portions and means for drawing in. airto be cooled and for discharging cooled air with said portions communicating with said lower compartment for circulating air therethrough, duct means interconnecting said discharge portion and said upper compartment, means providing a passage from said upper compartment to said lower compartment, whereby a path for circulation of cooled air through said upper compartment is provided, said discharge portion including adjustable means for dividing the cooled air therefrom between said upper and lower compartments.

8. A refrigerated display case including front, rear, side and bottom walls forming a display compartment, a refrigerating unit having a relatively small vertical dimension supported on said bottom wall below said display compartment, said refrigerating unit having intake and discharge portions and means for circulating air therethrough, a perforated supporting member in said display compartment spaced from said bottom wall, duct means defining a cold air passage in said display compartment adjacent said rear wall and communicatingwith said discharge portion of said refrigerating unit, said duct means including baffle means providing a plurality of plenum chambers and having apertures for directing refrigerated air across said display compartment, said refrigerating unit having an extent less than the width of the display case and said duct means extending throughout substantially the entire width ofthe display case so that said duct means andsaid baffle means distributes said refrigerated air substantially uniformly across the width of the display case, said duct means having openings therein communicating with the space between said supporting member and said bottom wall for providing cooled air thereto, said front wall extending above the level of said apertures'of said duct means for retaining said refrigerated air in the display case, and

a second duct means defining an exhaust air pastherethrough, a perforated supporting member in said display compartment spaced from said bottom wall, duct means defining acold air passage in said display compartment adjacent said rear wall and communicating with said discharge portion of said refrigerating unit, said duct -means including baille means providing a plurality of plenum chambers and having discharge apertures at a level substantially above said supporting member for directing refrigerated air down andacross said display compartment, said duct means having openings thereincommunieating with the space between saidsupporting member and said'bottom wall for providing cooled-air thereto, and second duct means defining an exhaust, air passage in said display compartment adjacent said front wall and communicating with said intake portion of said refrigerating unit, said second duct means extending to substantially the same level as said discharge apertures and having openingstherein at a lower level for drawingair from said display compartment.

" 10; A refrigerated display case having an upper open compartment and a lower, enclosed compartment, vertical walls forming said compartstantially. separate paths for ments and a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a perforated sup porting member in said upper compartment above said horizontal partition, a refrigerating unit disposed in the upper portion of said lower compartment adjacent said partition, duct means defining a cold air passage extending in said upper compartment adjacent one of said vertical walls and communicating with said refrigerating unit, said duct means including baffle means providing a plurality of plenum chambers and having apertures for directing refrigerated air across said upper compartment, said cold air passage having openings therein communicating with the space between said supporting member and said horizontal partition, duct means defining an exhaust air passage in said upper compartment adjacent the vertical wall opposite to said one wall and communicating with said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit having an intake portion communicating with said lower compartment and a discharge portion communicating with both said cold air passage and said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit including means for drawing air into said intake portion and for discharging the same from said discharge portion, said exhaust air passage opening into said lower compartment adjacent said intake portion of said refrigerating unit, whereby substantially separate paths for refrigerated air are provided through said upper and lower compartments.

11. A refrigerated display case having an upper opening compartment and a lower enclosed compartment, vertical walls forming said compartments and a horizontal partition separating said upper and lower compartments, a refrigerating unit disposed in the upper portion of said lower compartment adjacent said partition, duct means defining a cold air passage extending in said upper compartment adjacent one of said vertical walls and communicating withv said refrigerating unit, said duct means including bafile means providing a plurality of plenum chambers and having apertures for directing refrigerated air across said upper compartment, duct means defining an exhaust air passage in said upper compartment adjacent the vertical wall opposite to said one wall and communicating with said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit having an intake portion communicating with said lower compartment and a discharge portion communicating with both said cold air passage and said lower compartment, said refrigerating unit including means for drawing air into said intake portion and for discharging the same from said discharge portion, said exhaust air passage opening into said lower compartment adjacent said intake portion of said refrigerating unit, whereby subrefrigerated air are 10 provided through said upper and lower compartments, said refrigerating unit extending over only a portion of the width of said case and said duct means extending across the entire width thereof so that said cooled air is distributed substantially uniformly across the Width of said case.

12. A refrigerating unit for a refrigerated display case having upper and lower refrigerated compartments and a horizontal partition separating the same, said refrigerating unit having a relatively small vertical dimension and having an upper surface adapted to be supported on the undersurface of the horizontal partition, said unit including an intake portion at one end thereof, a discharge portion at the other end thereof, refrigerating means between said portions, and means for drawing air into said intake portion, passing the same over said refrigerating means, and discharging the same from said discharge portion, said discharge portion including adjustable bafile means for dividing the cooled air discharged therefrom into two portions for application to said upper compartment and said lower compartment, to thereby provide controlled circulation of the cooled air through the two compartments.

13. In a refrigerated display case having upper and lower refrigerated compartments and a horizontal partition separating the same, a compact refrigerating unit having a relatively small vertical dimension and having an upper surface adapted to be supported on the 'undersurface of the horizontal partition, said unit including an intake portion at one end thereof, a discharge portion at the other end thereof, refrigerating coils positioned between said intake and discharge portions, and means for drawing air into said intake portion, passing the same over said refrigerating coils, and discharging the same from said discharge portion, said discharge portion including adjustable baflie means for dividing the cooled air discharged therefrom between said upper compartment and said lower compartment, to thereby provide controlled circulation of the cooled air through the two compartments.

' VERNE C. KNIGHT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 985,620 Monette Feb. 28, 1911 1,109,396 Bretney Sept. 1, 1914 2,074,375 Dick Mar. 23, 1937 2,239,508 Sipp Apr. 22, 1941 2,421,314 Brinkoeter May 27, 1947 2,425,473 Hofiman Aug. 12, 1947 2,463,614 Hardin Mar. 8, 1949 2,466,286 Stultz Apr. 5, 1949 2,511,375 Raskin June 13, 1950' 

